U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,635 to Carson describes acetylenic calcium blockers useful as antihypertensives and/or antianginals. Several synthetic routes are set forth and a prime intermediate is a 1-(5-substituted-2-ethynylphenyl)-2-propanone such as 1-[5-methoxy-2(phenylethynyl)phenyl]-2-propanone. Carson describes the synthesis of this intermediate from 1-(2-iodo-5-methoxyphenyl)-2-propanone in Example 38, which in turn is produced from 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propanone in Example 5. Such a synthesis involves difficulties in preparation of the prerequisite 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propanone and in the orientation of the iodine atom and in the iodination reaction. It can be seen that creation of a 1,2,4-substitution pattern on a phenyl ring can present synthetic problems and low yields. An object of this invention is thus a facile synthesis of the 1-(5-substituted-2-ethynylphenyl)-2-propanone intermediates of the Carson patent with good yields and control of the substitution on the positions of the phenyl ring.